A small worm-like creature that drinks blood; also someone who takes advantage of others' kindness or money.
From Old English 'læce' meaning physician, because leeches were used medically. The meaning shifted to the parasitic worm, and then to a person who exploits others like a bloodsucker.
Leeches were actually legitimate medical tools for hundreds of years—doctors used them to treat everything from headaches to fevers—and modern medicine is bringing them back because they're surprisingly effective at improving blood flow during surgery, making them one of nature's best comeback stories.
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